Managing Stress: The Role of Nature
- Sarah Chase
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
April is Stress Awareness Month, so what is stress exactly?
Stress is a word we hear and likely use at least once a day. You may often find yourself saying, “ugh, I am so stressed,” or a personal favorite, “this is stressing me out sooo much!” But what is stress really? At its most basic form, stress is mental, emotional, or physical strain or tension—a sense of being weighed down in an extremely adverse or uncomfortable situation. This definition doesn’t really seem to cover how stress truly impacts us, so let’s dive deeper.
We can think of stress as falling into three different categories: acute, episodic acute, and chronic. Acute stressors are events that may occur on a daily basis and come and go quickly, for both positive and negative reasons (i.e., your wedding day, witnessing a car accident, etc.). Episodic acute stress is similar to acute stress but, well, more. These might be routine acute stressors that never seem to get easier, like presenting at work. Episodic acute stress looks different for people based on what feels worrisome for that individual—what one person finds stressful, another person might not. Chronic stress is ongoing and often involves stressors that feel impossible to get relief from. Chronic stressors may include things like discrimination, neglect, abuse, or incurable/chronic illness.
Each of these types of stress has not only emotional impacts (that feeling of “ugh, I am so stressed out”) but physical impacts as well.
The physical impacts of stress include:
Dizziness
Fatigue
Insomnia
Muscle tension
Digestive issues
High blood pressure
Headaches/migraines
Oftentimes, we ignore stress or label it as simply another part of life. While ignoring stress in the short term may seem like a good idea, this avoidance often leads to a cycle of feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or panicky → tired, unable to sleep, experiencing constipation or high blood pressure → more anxious, panic attacks, exhaustion, memory problems → poor performance at work, not engaging socially, etc. (Can you see how the cycle could go on and on?)
Instead of ignoring stress, learning to identify the warning signs and then implementing coping strategies can help prevent these long-term physical impacts.
Stress Management Strategies
The good news is that there are many ways to manage stress, and one of the simplest—and most effective—is spending time in nature. If nature isn’t your thing, feel free to check out some of the links below for different types of stress management activities.
Research shows that engaging with natural environments can lower cortisol levels (the body’s primary stress hormone). When cortisol decreases, several positive changes can occur: heart rate and blood pressure drop, the immune system gets a boost, inflammation is reduced, and sleep patterns improve.
Connecting with nature doesn’t have to be complicated. You can start by simply engaging your senses: Begin by asking yourself, "What do I see and smell?" Then find something to touch, and maybe listen for all the different sounds happening around you.
When you look at these pictures, can you imagine the sounds? Can you feel a slight breeze? Can you imagine the smell of the grass or flowers? Maybe you feel the warmth of the sun on your skin or the rough texture of the tree. Maybe you even get adventurous and taste some fresh herbs.
Sometimes, something as simple as stepping outside, taking a breath, and noticing the world around you can make a meaningful difference.
Links for additional strategies:
References
Sarah Chase, LCMHC
Sarah has experience working with adults on a variety of concerns including life transitions, adjustment to new environments, identity development, relationship distress, chronic health concerns, as well as both single event and complex trauma. Sarah often works with clients on goals including reducing stress, healing trauma, improving performance and increasing overall life satisfaction. Sarah works from an integrative, multicultural, and trauma informed approach.
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